Two Lovely Bookworms
by AuthorSwimmerPoet
Summary: An exploration, basically, of what it would be like if Victorique ended up in Dalian's world, I thought they were so similar in some ways, while so opposite in others, that this would be an interesting idea to play with.
1. The Book: An Introduction

Victorique sniffed in disapproval and set the book aside. "What a ridiculous premise for a book." She informed Kujo. "Besides real life mysteries are much more interesting than a plot that always solves it's mysteries with a Phantom Book. Such a thing is hardly a mystery at all."

Kujo scowled in frustration. Victorique was simply too hard to be pleased sometimes. "Fine, don't read it. But that's all the present that I have for you today."

"Then go away." Victorique grumbled. "And when you come back you owe me extra sweets!"

He almost expected her to throw the book at him as he left, but she didn't. Instead it was almost eerily quiet as he made his way back down the stairs. His fists clenched and unclenched in his frustration as he marched down the stairs. "I don't know why I try sometimes." He murmured to himself angrily, he had just wanted to give her a new book to enjoy, something that she couldn't find in the school's massive library. He realized now that it was probably ridiculous for him to have even tried. Victorique was too fickle and mostly only liked sweets anyways.

He grumbled to himself, all the way down the stairs and out of the library.

* * *

Victorique stared at the book Kujo had tried to give her. Even if she had feigned displeasure at it, truly she was rather curious. She didn't usually read much fiction, but it sounded more intriguing than most of the fiction that the school's library had to offer, mainly because it wasn't just another ghost story. She was bored of those. So bored.

Glancing briefly at the staircase to make sure Kujo hadn't snuck back up, Victorique picked up the book. Tentatively she opened the book, marveling at the weight of the front cover. It was a surprisingly heavy book. The paper was thick and the smell of the book was aged rather more than she would have expected from a book that Kujo would know of. She paused for a moment and sniffed at it consideringly.

Her nose full of the scent of aged paper, she flipped over the title page, running her hand slowly over the slightly faded script. The pages seemed almost warm to the touch. She found herself grinning happily. This was beginning to look like an impressive book, even if it was because of Kujo that she even knew it existed.

Eagerly she turned to the first page of actual text. Suddenly this story didn't seem like such a bad idea after all.


	2. Something Lost

"Huey,"

Huey looked up from the book in his lap surprised to see Dalian standing before him, her expression demanded. She rarely chose to seek him out.

"Huey," She repeated in that same quiet tone, "Do you keep a diary?"

He stared at her puzzled for a moment unable to speak. "You need my diary?"

Dalian nodded violently.

Quietly he shut the book, watching Dalian intently. "What do you need my diary for?"

She sniffed as if offended and looked away.

"I'm not going to just give you my diary."Huey pointed out gently. "Such things are private and aren't the sort of thing humans easily share. Perhaps you don't realize it as a Guardian –"

Dalian cut him off, "I understand perfectly well Huey. I just need your diary. Go get it for me." She stalked from the room. "I want it by teatime."

Huey sighed. He supposed he would have to do as she asked. When she got into such a determined mood, it could be pretty difficult to sway her.

* * *

"Huey," Dalian's voice drifted in a tone of scolding into his room impatiently. "It's the middle of teatime, and there's no tea and you haven't brought me your diary.

Huey looked up from the mess his room had become as Dalian entered the room. He was sure he looked a disheveled mess, but he couldn't help that, it had just been a side effect of searching for his diary.

"I can't find my diary." He explained to her, sweeping some hair off of his forehead, even though it pointlessly flopped back into the same position.

Dalian quietly pointed to a small book on the nightstand, that bore the distinct label of Diary.

"Not that one." Huey explained. "That's the one I finished before I came here. I started a new one when I moved here and I can't find that one."

Dalian watched him disapprovingly for a moment, before turning on her heel. "You shouldn't have lost it. We can find it after tea."

* * *

**To all my readers and followers: I am sorry this chapter has taken so long to get out there, but hopefully this was a nice reward for your patience. I'm sorry it's rather short, hopefully later chapters will be longer.**


	3. Read It Aloud

"Kujo!" called Avril's cheerful voice as he crossed the grounds.

He looked up almost surprised to see her. Except that she always turned up sooner or later. She seemed to almost wander the grounds in search of him, but that was ridiculous. Why Avril do something as silly as that?

"Kujo," Avril repeated his name as she approached a wide smile stretched across her face.

"Hey Avril." He was still puzzled why she looked so happy.

"I'm glad I found you, I thought you were going to be late for class so I came looking for you."

Kujo chuckled; it was odd to him how careful to look after him she seemed to be at times. "I just needed to see Victorique this morning; I had something to give her."

Something in Avril's face that Kujo couldn't quite identify changed, though she maintained her smile as she looked at him. "Well in any case. Let's get to class." Avril turned away from him, tugging on his hand as she led the way to their classroom. When they were almost to the classroom Avril finally broke the silence that had fallen on them. "What did you give Victorique?" There was an edge to her voice that Kujo almost thought was bitterness, but that couldn't be right.

"Just a book. It sounded like the sort of story she might like." He didn't add that she had not been as impressed with idea as he'd thought she'd be. It wasn't as if there was anything Avril could do to change Victorique's opinion.

"Ah."

They had reached the class. "Well I guess we better go sit down." Kujo said and lead the way into the classroom.

* * *

After class Kujo raced back across the campus to the library. He didn't like to leave Victorique in a bad mood as he had. He hoped there was some way that he could make it up to her.

As he began to climb up the steps he realized that he'd forgotten to bring any sweets. Those at least would have been likely to appease her. But he gritted his teeth and kept climbing there wasn't much point going back now that he'd already come this far. And if Victorique was still mad...well, he'd deal with that when it was time to.

When he reached the crest of the steps he was surprised to see Victorique, lying on the floor with her face close to the pages of the book. She was smiling and kicking her feet interestedly.

"Victorique?" Kujo called cautiously, not sure if it was wise to disturb her reading.

Victorique looked up her eyes glassy. "Kujo-kun." She murmured softly. Her head slowly turned back towards the book. "Come read with me." Distractedly she patted a spot next to her.

Hesitantly Kujo approached. "So you like it?"

Victorique had almost started reading again, but slowly she looked to face him again. "Yes, read with me about making a Phantom book."

"Ok..." Kujo sat down cross-legged at Victorique's shoulder, trying to see the pages of the book past her hair and head. Hoping she wasn't already intently reading again, Kujo added, "I can't really read it from here."

Making her first abrupt movement since he'd arrive, Victorique's head snapped around, her lips were twisted in annoyance but her eyes were still faintly glazed looking. "Fine I'll read it for you." She muttered grumpily. She cleared her throat and read:

_It is strange to me still that I am a keykeeper. Each time I am required to ask Dalian: "Are you human?" and then unlock her and reach deep within her chest to fetch out another Phantom Book is surreal. Even as I do it, it seems as if such things should not be possible. But they must be because it is what I do. Now I face this even stranger task of creating a Phantom book. Never did I think my task would come to this. I never thought it would be necessary to have to write a book of emotions strong enough to burn, but -_

Victorique's reading was cut off abruptly as the pages of the book began to glow blindingly. She screeched and flailed at Kujo desperately. He could only stare as the light was suddenly snuffed and they were left sinking into blackness.


End file.
